The present invention relates to a dental retractor for use in teeth whitening. The teeth whitening industry has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. One preferred method of whitening teeth involves the use of a mouthpiece inserted in the mouth and enclosing a teeth whitening substance such as a concentration of hydrogen peroxide. Often, in practicing teeth whitening using a mouthpiece, it is advantageous to first coat the teeth with a teeth whitening composition and then insert the mouthpiece to seal the teeth whitening substance in place on the tooth surfaces.
It is known that some teeth whitening substances can be irritating to the gums and lips of a patient if the substances coat the surfaces of those body parts. As such, it is also advantageous to find a way to best preclude the teeth whitening substance from inadvertently coating the lips and gums of the patient or user. A retractor which acts to space the lips from the teeth and renders the gums clearly visible to allow the patient, user or their dentist to “paint” the teeth whitening substance onto tooth surfaces without the substance coating the lips and gums would be an advantageous device to employ in this context. It is with this thought in mind that the present invention was developed.